Interactive input systems are well known in the art and are becoming increasingly popular. These interactive systems are common in both kiosk and electronic writeboard applications. Such interactive input systems typically include a touch screen having a touch surface on which contacts are made using a pointer in order to generate user input. Pointer contacts with the touch surface are detected and are used to generate corresponding output depending on areas of the touch surface where the pointer contacts are made. Common touch systems utilize analog resistive, electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic, beam interruption or machine vision techniques to identify pointer contacts on the touch surface.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,906; 6,954,197; and 7,236,162 to Morrison et al. and International PCT Application No. WO 02/03316, all assigned to SMART Technologies Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, assignee of the subject application, disclose a camera-based touch system comprising a touch screen that includes a touch surface on which a computer-generated image is presented. A rectangular bezel or frame surrounds the touch surface and supports digital cameras at its corners. The digital cameras have overlapping fields of view that encompass and look generally across the plane of the touch surface. The digital cameras acquire images looking across the touch surface from different viewpoints and generate image data. Image data acquired by the digital cameras is processed by digital signal processors to determine if a pointer exists in the captured image data. When it is determined that a pointer exists in the captured image data, the digital signal processors convey pointer characteristic data to a master controller, which in turn processes the pointer characteristic data to determine the location of the pointer in (x,y)-co-ordinates relative to the touch surface using triangulation. The pointer co-ordinate data is conveyed to a computer executing one or more application programs. The computer uses the pointer co-ordinate data to update the computer-generated image that is presented on the touch surface. Pointer contacts on the touch surface can therefore be recorded as writing or drawing or used to control execution of application programs executed by the computer.
Another example of a touch system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/838,536 to Morrison et al. filed on May 5, 2004 and assigned to SMART Technologies Inc. This touch system includes a touch screen having a touch surface on which pointer contacts are to be made. The touch screen is a flat panel display such as for example, a plasma display, a high-definition television (HDTV), a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like that presents an image on the touch surface. A bezel surrounds the touch surface. A pair of imaging assemblies is positioned adjacent the top corners of the touch screen 52. The imaging assemblies communicate with each other as well as with a computer 60 executing one or more application programs. The imaging assemblies are positioned so that they see the touch surface in three-dimensions as a perspective view and are calibrated to establish the relationship between (X,Y,Z) points in their perspective views and (x,y) points in acquired images. The computer processes pointer co-ordinate data generated by the imaging assemblies to determine the locations of pointer contacts made on the touch surface using triangulation and updates the image that is presented on the touch surface in response to the pointer contacts. Pointer contacts on the touch surface can therefore be recorded as writing or drawing or used to control execution of application programs executed by the computer.
Although interactive input systems such as those discussed above have been successful in commercial and business environments, interactive input systems are not commonly used in residential environments. As is known, most common consumer electronic devices are provided with remote control units that allow users to control the consumer electronic devices at a distance. Unfortunately, many problems are associated with remote control units. If the residence includes many consumer electronic devices there are typically an equal number of remote control units. As a result, when trying to operate a consumer electronic device, the user must often hunt through an assortment of remote control devices to find the right one. Universal remote control units to control a host of consumer electronic devices are available. These universal remote control units however, often require complex programming and are prone to program loss requiring time consuming reprogramming. Also, remote control units are prone to damage or loss.
Providing consumer electronic devices with touch input facilities has been considered. Such touch input facilities however, require users to be within arms reach of the consumer electronic devices. Most users have become accustomed to interacting with consumer electronic devices at a distance. As will be appreciated, there exists a need to improve the manner by which users interact with consumer electronic devices.
It is therefore an object to provide a novel interactive input system, a controller therefor and to a method of controlling an appliance.